Tag: Romance

Tongue Love by Ebony Reese

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Genre(s):  Romance, Crime
Pages:  92
Website:  http://tonguelove.me/site.htm

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Some people take that Bonnie and Clyde kind of love way too seriously.

If you read TONGUE LOVE, the debut novella from Ebony Reese, you’d understand what I’m talking about.

This  ride-or-die story begins with Jersey, a bartender extraordinaire tired of meeting the same old females in the club. You know the types: the stuck-up sistahs; the desperate types; the every-week attendees; the “I-got-a-man-at-home-but-I-like-a-female-on-the-side” women. It bothered Jersey that couldn’t find a decent love of her own, someone bringing just as much to the table as she would.

Yet, looking out her window was all it took to find this perfect woman when she catches sight of Tropicana. A hairstylist in the salon across the street, the dimepiece enthralls Jersey with her not-so-subtle curves, but she’s too shy to make a move.

The time comes when they meet, and Tropicana is everything Jersey wants: smart, ambitious and ready for a serious relationship. More importantly, Tropicana is fiercely loyal. Considering Jersey’s track record of betrayal from her ex and her recent one-night stand, this is what attracts her to Trop.

Jersey even likes the dark, jealous side of Tropicana – who’s willing to fight anybody getting to close her lover. Especially this one chick, Kim, who doesn’t want to let Jersey go.

When Kim goes missing, Jersey is curious and concerned. Could Trop – who has serious legal and underground connections – have something to do with Kim’s disappearance? How much does Jersey really know about this beauty she intends to wife?

In a small amount of pages, Reese packs a lot of drama and suspense in Tongue Love. Is it believable? I guess, if one could accept that true love can overcome criminal acts that are Law & Order worthy.

Reviewed August 2010

The Menage Menagerie by J.L. Dillard

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Publisher/Date:  eXcessica Publishing, Dec. 2009
Genre(s):  Bisexual, Romance, Erotica
Pages:  59
Website:  http://www.jldillard1.webs.com

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

“Nothing is simple about this arrangement,” Jonathan Rutherford replies to his wife as they contemplate a threesome in THE MENAGE MENAGERIE. In her e-book, author J.L. Dillard creates the perfect sexual situation between a man, his wife and another woman.

Dana Rutherford knows her husband’s been craving to see her be pleasured by another woman. And even though their sex is as good as it gets, she indulges him this one fantasy. Dana, as beautiful and voluptuous as she is, recognizes that a little spice in their love life will keep him satisfied and looking no further.

So Dana concedes and offers Jonathan this proposition: engage in a ménage à trois with Crystina, an extremely sexy lesbian at his workplace.

Because Jonathan sings Crystina’s praises to his wife at home, Dana deduces that he finds her attractive, as well, so she sets up a meeting between the three. She just hopes it doesn’t blow up in her face – considering the fact Jonathan is Crystina’s boss.  Also causing distress is the fact that the usually demure Dana is a lot more excited about being seduced by a woman than she ever thought she would be.

What goes down tonight could be anyone’s guess.

Dillard is sensual in her portrayal of the heat between both the husband and wife, but most especially between the two women. Dana and Crystina’s obvious connection is honestly the best part of the story; I could have used more of that. But if you want a book that gets it down and dirty, Dillard’s Menagerie worth checking out.

Reviewed February 2010

The Wrong Valentine by Dana Littlejohn

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Publisher/Date:  Phaze Books, Feb. 2009
Genre(s):  Erotica, Romance
Pages:  17
Website:  http://www.danalittlejohn.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

When you’re faced with spending Valentine’s Day alone, what’s a girl to do? If you’re Shaunte in THE WRONG VALENTINE, you’ll cook a nice dinner, take a long shower and pamper your body in an effort to feel special.

That’s Shaunte’s plan in this diminutive e-book written by romance author Dana Littlejohn portraying a woman’s night alone on lover’s day. But Shante isn’t too pressed about it. She’s had her share of heartache, and a recent relocation to New York helped her get through the hurt.

However, in the midst of Shaunte’s date with herself, she receives a womanly surprise that changes the course of her night and allows her to truly enjoy the holiday.

As a character, Shaunte’s past could have been fleshed out a more, but Littlejohn, who has about 20 erotic titles under her skirt, err belt, creates a short-but-sweet novelette that’s appetizing all the same.

Reviewed February 2010

Losing Control by Cheril N. Clarke

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Publisher/Date:  Dodi Press, June 2009
Genre:  Romance
Pages:  216
Website:  http://www.cherilnclarke.com

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Brianna Anderson knows love and politics oftentimes lead to scandal, so she’s covering her bases in LOSING CONTROL, the latest from revered author Cheril N. Clarke. The author of best-sellers Intimate Chaos and Tainted Destiny has delivered another captivating novel, this time following Brianna and her bid for City Council.

In case you forgot, Brianna is the go-getter in Tainted Destiny who left Sadira to pursue a career in the public sector. Brianna is now running for office in Rockville, New Jersey, a depressed city marked by unemployment, homelessness and political corruption. Brianna’s intentions, while she doesn’t have much experience, are pure and motivated by lifting the fog of hopelessness blanketing the city’s poorest residents.

Her opponent, however, is a woman led by pure greed. Three-term incumbent Colleen Smith, the councilwoman elected for three consecutive terms, wants to defeat the green candidate at any cost. Colleen could care less about her impoverished community, but rather reaping the wealth her position has afforded her on the backs of the people she serves.  With the stones Colleen’s throwing, Brianna cannot allow her deepest secret to be uncovered and therefore denies her sexuality – even as her attraction is growing for city treasurer Pam Thompson.

The pair meet somewhere along Brianna’s campaign trail, and are instantly drawn together. Brianna can’t help but feel something toward Pam, an intelligent, gorgeous woman, but indulging their feelings would mean Pam would have to deny something, also: her husband. And imagine the scandal that would erupt if Brianna’s opponent were to find out. She’s worked too hard, and there’s too much at stake for both her and Pam to lose.

Clarke’s Losing Control combines an involved love story with the behind-the-scenes action of a campaign. The romance between Brianna and Pam builds slowly, and takes a while to reach its peak – figuratively and sexually – but is worth reading to see how it ends. Clarke is proficient when it comes to the agony of love, and Losing Control shows what happens when the sacrifice is worth it.

Reviewed November 2009

Nothing Short of a Rainbow by Kaution

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Publisher/Date:  Big Works Publishing/CreateSpace, Feb. 2009
Genre(s):  Romance, Studs & Femmes
Pages: 298
Website:  http://www.kaution-online.com

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

With NOTHING SHORT OF A RAINBOW, writer/artist Kaution aspires to take urban lesbian storytelling to the next level. As such, you should be forewarned because her debut novel is a gripping story full of the twists and turns of betrayal between best friends.

Seniors Teren Ramsey and Ray Romero are dogs for life, seeing each other through women, basketball and more women at ASU. The studs have been best friends since meeting as full-scholarship freshmen at basketball orientation, admiring each other’s passion for the game, and eventually, their passion for pretty femmes. That’s where there similarities end. Teren, the more reserved of the two, has trouble finding sincere, lasting love, while Ray has too many girls to juggle. It gets Ray into trouble that usually Teren has to get her out of.

One woman Ray dogged is fellow teammate and good friend Nia Alverez, who long carried a torch for the womanizer. Ray never gave her the time of day, leaving Teren to pick up the pieces of younger girl’s broken heart. Soon Nia catches feelings for Teren, who’s had a crush on the thick-bodied beauty for a while. When their affair goes public, Ray is the one who has the biggest problem with it.

Seeing Nia with Teren triggers Ray to see what she was missing, and a restless night ends with Nia and Ray in a compromising position. When Teren discovers the deceit, she abruptly cuts both out of her life.

Five years later, Teren has moved forward, but she still holds on to the loss and daydreams of what could have been with Nia. When Nia reappears, Teren realizes that she has a second chance. However, the past is something she can’t let go of, especially because Nia reminds her of the hurt she endured from the two people she loved most – her lover and her best friend.

Let me tell you, Nothing Short of a Rainbow is chock full of delicious sex, drama and duplicity. Secret crushes are revealed, the women are mad hot, the sex is explosive and several relationships are tested. That aside, the writing is choppy in places and changes narration abruptly, which slows down the reader.

But if it’s excitement you want in a novel, watch out – Kaution’s gonna give it to you.

Reviewed November 2009

Truth Disguised by Quandi

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Publisher/Date:  Lulu.com, Dec. 2008
Genre(s):  Coming of Age, Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Pages:  245
Website:  http://www.truthdisguised.ning.com

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

A woman’s appearance doesn’t define her sexuality, so dressing like a boy shouldn’t make you a lesbian, at least that’s what Francis “Frankie” Livingston believes as she struggles with her imposed identity in TRUTH DISGUISED by first-time author Quandi.

Tell that to her family and friends. They think her tomboy attire, the fact that she’s never really had a boyfriend, and masculine demeanor are signs that she loves the ladies. Frankie hears it from her mother, who boisterously disapproves of her daughter being gay because of her own demons, and from her all-boy circle of friends that accept her but wonder out loud if she likes boys or girls. Only her father and girly twin sister, Arianna, support her no matter what or whom she chooses.

That’s the thing, though. Frankie doesn’t know what she wants. She’s always felt like a man trapped in a woman’s body, but can’t say for sure that means she’s a lesbian. When her dormmate, Tasha, becomes an admirer, Frankie pursues this flirtation with reservations. She’s intrigued at being with a woman, and gives Tasha the relationship she wants, but secretly, Frankie has always held an attraction to her best friend, Maurice.

This confusion has been a life-long burden for Frankie, haunted by whom she should be and whom she should love. Society tells her one thing, but her head tells her another. It’s when serious issues arise with her family that she realizes her heart is the only thing she should listen to.

In Truth Disguised, Quandi has created an appealing heroine in conflicted Frankie. Her protagonist’s journey is enhanced by fully-fleshed supporting characters, like her parents, sister and four homeboys. Also, the “don’t judge a book by its cover” message isn’t forced on the reader. It’s only the grammatical errors that take away from the plot. I was a little sad at the ending, but it’s an eye opener for sure. A book for teens and questioning women alike, Truth Disguised proves appearances aren’t everything.

Reviewed November 2009

Girls Just Don’t Do That by Natalie Simone (June 2009 Pick of the Month)

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Publisher/Date:  Bookshelf Global Publishing, Sept. 2005
Genre(s):  College Life, Romance, Studs & Femmes
Pages:  230
Website:  http://www.nataliesimone.com

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Few understand the ordeals black lesbians go through in relationships, but Natalie Simone has compellingly portrayed what we feel in her debut novel, GIRLS JUST DON’T DO THAT.

Through the eyes of several main characters, the tale of six college women at the University of Georgia takes on several types of relationship woes.

First is Delia, a pretty tomboy type with a seemingly shy demeanor and thoughtful personality. She is the loner type, preferring to have a small circle of friends. Though her strikingly good looks could pull any woman on campus, Delia doesn’t play games with women’s hearts. So why she becomes involved with Jayne, her old high school nemesis, is beyond comprehension.

Jayne is the complete opposite of Delia. She’s a sorority-girl type, an arrogant, gorgeous beauty who was once overweight and made life miserable for Delia back in the day. Jayne’s homophobic behavior toward Delia pitted them against each other, but when they are now paired up on a class project, Delia lets go of the past and sees Jayne for the dime she’s turned into. She can’t help but become enraptured by Jayne’s charm, and they begin a one-sided relationship, where Jayne reaps all the pleasurable benefits. Delia knows she’s being played, but can’t free herself from Jayne’s cunning spell.

And while Delia is being used, her best friend Shavonne is being abused by her girlfriend, Tracy. She lives on eggshells night after night, not knowing what mood could set Tracy off on a rampage, especially when Tracy comes home drunk. In Shavonne’s eyes, it was all so good in the beginning, as in most abusive relationships. As the disrespect worsens every day, Shavonne felt she couldn’t tell anyone what was happening because “girls just don’t do that.” Who would believe that a woman could beat another woman? One thing Shavonne does know is that she has to get out – one way or another.

If someone had asked Stacy three months ago would she ever be attracted to a woman, the answer would have been no. Yet somehow Stacy – an aspiring lawyer from a well-to-do family – spots Kendal and is infatuated with what she thinks is a handsome dude. When she discovers Kendal’s a woman, Stacy can’t help being turned on by her feminine/masculine appeal. Though she has a boyfriend, Stacy’s body betrays her head when she’s around Kendal. Now Stacey has to decide whether to leave her two-year relationship headed toward a white-picket future, or be with the woman who completes her emotionally and physically. Girls just don’t do that, remember?

Simone’s Girls Just Don’t Do That, written several years prior, still resonates with readers. You’ll be drawn into these women’s lives and inner turmoil as they decide what’s best for them to be happy. As an added bonus, Simone includes “Dyke Categories” at the end of the book, which describes several types of stud and femme black lesbian personas. I like the fact Simone not only has the potent gift of storytelling but can also impart knowledge, as well.

Simone has a new novel coming soon, one that follows the scandalous Jayne, a person who refuses to declare herself bisexual even after sleeping with several women. After reading Girls, that’s one I’ll definitely pick up.

Reviewed June 2009

Consequences by Skyy

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Publisher/Date:  Kings Crossing Publishing, Feb. 2009
Genre(s):  College Life, Romance, Studs & Femmes
Pages: 304
Website:  http://www.simplyskyy.com

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Love. Sex. College. Studs. Femmes. It’s all one big circle in beloved author Skyy’s newest installment of lesbian drama, CONSEQUENCES, which follows our favorite ladies and gents as they navigate their senior year together.

Consequences begins exactly where Choices concluded, with Lena readying herself for marriage while still pining over Denise. Despite having what appears to be all she wants – a fiancé who’s pro-basketball player, money and a chic apartment – she can’t help but imagine another life with Denise. The kiss they shared at the end of last year changed everything, and even the love of Brandon can’t stop her fantasies of the stud who stole her heart.

Denise, meanwhile, has tried to move on from feeling like Lena’s second choice. The women she’s been spending her time with aren’t up to par – one is a certified nutcase – and they certainly aren’t Lena. It’s hard to see her former roommate, whom she fell in love with, marry another man. But Denise doesn’t want to let go of their friendship, and only hopes Lena will realize how deep her loyalties lie before she walks down that aisle.

Cooley, Cooley, Cooley. It took Misha to tame that wild heart of hers, but when she did, Cooley wound up alone after being caught in some mess that wasn’t her fault. No worries, though, Cooley’s had the summer to get hoochies out her system and conspires to win back Misha. However, she didn’t plan on Misha being with someone else or settling for being “just friends” when Cooley’s heart says she’s the one. This is a move the former player surely didn’t see coming.

And finally Carmen, the previously portly beauty, has maintained her relationship with Nic. While the couple plans their future as they approach graduation, Carmen’s past threatens to destroy their present. She still has insecurities when she sees Nic around other women, no matter how much Nic professes her devotion. Carmen can’t believe she’s found someone who loves her so much – and begins to sabotage what she has. Can she see what she has in front of her before Nic gets fed up?

There’s a lot more in Consequences than I can describe here, but I don’t want to give it all away.

Most will agree that Skyy is the new queen of black lesbian romance, and the writing of Consequences proves it. She’s our version of E. Lynn Harris of Invisible Life fame, but with a style truly all her own. Despite its long wait following Choices, Consequences was well worth the pure uproar women created about the fate of Denise, Lena, Carmen and Cooley, and who would end up with whom. We sincerely care about these characters as our own, as the animated discussion at my book club proved.

Skyy’s Consequences will not only answer your questions, but will gladly provide you with cliffhangers to the next chapter in these women’s lives. When the next book arrives, I’m 100 percent sure Skyy won’t disappoint.

Reviewed June 2009

She Slipped and Fell by Shonda

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Publisher/Date:  Authorhouse, Oct. 2008
Genre:  Romance
Pages: 263
Website:  http://www.shondasbookshelf.com

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Love can blossom in many ways: a knowing glance between women, a friendship turned love affair, stumbling and collapsing on top of someone. All these things can lead to love – especially the latter – as witnessed by author Shonda’s SHE SLIPPED AND FELL, a romance developed between best friends Tina Jones and Kendall Long.

Meeting in the foulest circumstances in the ladies’ room, the girls become fast friends despite having contrasting personalities. Kendall is a reserved and quiet beauty, where Tina is the more outspoken charmer. Both are sexy and intelligent, with men falling all over them. Their friendship survives through high school, boyfriends and the usual teenage misadventures. However, it was during their undergrad years that Tina and Kendall come into their own and are closer than ever, even while attending separate schools and pledging different sororities.

But it happens one night that they are left to their own devices after a party and a slip – literally – leads Tina and Kendall to fall hard for one another and share a passionate encounter. Because they have boyfriends, their affair is kept secret. Soon it becomes clear, though, that Tina wants to be out and open, something Kendall can’t handle. It breaks them apart, and once they graduate, all their years together can’t stop them from losing touch.

Tina soon lands at an Atlanta university, pursuing a medical degree. She meets someone new, opening herself up to new experiences. She can finally admit being gay to her family and lives her life accordingly. In contrast, Kendall moves back home with her parents, simply working for a living. But tragedy strikes Kendall’s family, and it leads her straight back to Tina. It’s not long before she admits the love she had for Tina never left. Does Tina, however, feel the same?

Shonda’s She Slipped and Fell is the love story that can happen between two friends who didn’t see it coming. Their love is heartfelt and built on a foundation of admiration and trust – the way most relationships should be. Shonda has a good tale on her hands, even with some plot devices that seem to come out of nowhere. Slipped is a book you can breeze through and be content by the end.

Reviewed June 2009

Re:Building Sasha by Renee Bess

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Publisher/Date:  Regal Crest, Nov. 2008
Genre(s):  Romance, Drama, Mature Lesbians
Pages:  268
Website:  http://www.reneebess.com

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

When love is new, it’s passionate, exciting and full of promise; the days are sweeter, the sex is abundant. When love goes sour, the hope of happily ever after evaporates, leaving an empty shell of what could have been.

This is the predicament of Sasha Lewis, the loyal protagonist of Renee Bess’ third novel, RE:BUILDING SASHA. At first captivated by the fiery nature of her lover, Lee Simpson, Sasha finds her four-year relationship becoming combustible. Lee is a jealous, controlling lover who berates Sasha to the point of insanity. The abuse and neglect at Lee’s hands wounds Sasha, yet makes her try harder to accommodate Lee’s extreme mood swings.

The mistreatment has also made Sasha push everyone out of her life, including lifelong friends. The only area it doesn’t affect is her work at Whittingham Builders, her sanctuary from Lee’s wrath. It’s where Sasha takes pride in being the manager of a successful construction firm, overseeing the building of houses to completion. One such project involves Avery Sloan, an attractive new client Sasha’s company takes on, rehabbing a group home for the non-profit Avery operates.

It’s not Sasha and Avery’s first encounter, previously meeting by chance on a business flight. Now paired on a professional level, the two are drawn together, but that’s where it ends for Sasha. Though there’s an attraction to Avery, Sasha remains devoted to Lee – and her hesitancy may cost her the chance to experience love without fear of what her partner may do next.

Bess is in fine form with Re:Building Sasha, a multi-dimensional story with well-drawn characters. Sasha and Avery’s romance is smoldering, burning into something that could be deeper and satisfying. What’s compelling about Re:Building is Sasha’s pain felt through Bess’ superb writing, where you both hurt and root for her.

Bottom line: Bess shows you the rebuilding of woman ready for genuine love.

Reviewed February 2009